Josh Bell
@signalbleed.bsky.social
Freelance writer and film/TV critic at KTNV, Tom's Guide, Crooked Marquee, The Inlander, Inverse, Highway Radio, Awesome Movie Year, and more. For hire: signalbleed@gmail.com
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Josh Bell
@signalbleed.bsky.social
· Oct 18
Latest Episodes - Awesome Movie Year
Awesome Movie Year is a podcast where film-critic Josh Bell & comedian Jason Harris take a look at different awesome movie years.
awesomemovieyear.com
Welcome new followers! (And thank you, @bwdr.bsky.social starter pack.) I write about movies and TV for various publications, and I co-host the Awesome Movie Year podcast, taking on a different year in cinema history each season.
Taking breaks to get through an overlong slog of a movie screener, but then of course that just makes the movie feel longer.
November 15, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Taking breaks to get through an overlong slog of a movie screener, but then of course that just makes the movie feel longer.
I've been an Oz Perkins fan since his earliest films, so there's no way I would've skipped 'Keeper,' but this kind of makes me want to see it even more.
November 15, 2025 at 8:24 AM
I've been an Oz Perkins fan since his earliest films, so there's no way I would've skipped 'Keeper,' but this kind of makes me want to see it even more.
For @crooked-marquee.bsky.social's Classic Corner today, I celebrated the 45th anniversary of the deceptively clever animal-attack thriller 'Alligator.' #filmsky #moviesky
Classic Corner: Alligator
Released 45 years ago this week, Lewis Teague’s witty and well-crafted animal-attack thriller is far more than a “Jaws” rip-off.
crookedmarquee.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
For @crooked-marquee.bsky.social's Classic Corner today, I celebrated the 45th anniversary of the deceptively clever animal-attack thriller 'Alligator.' #filmsky #moviesky
For @inverse.com, I celebrated the fifth anniversary of Christopher Landon's goofy but heartfelt body-swap slasher movie 'Freaky.' #filmsky #moviesky
5 Years Ago, An Underseen Horror Movie Put A Clever Twist On A Sci-Fi Trope
A serial killer *and* a body swap is a lot for one teenager to deal with.
www.inverse.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:22 AM
For @inverse.com, I celebrated the fifth anniversary of Christopher Landon's goofy but heartfelt body-swap slasher movie 'Freaky.' #filmsky #moviesky
'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' (in theaters tonight) brings back the inexplicably popular franchise about obnoxious heisting magicians. My @inlander.com review:
#filmsky #moviesky
#filmsky #moviesky
The annoying outlaw magicians return in the flashy but empty Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
There’s nothing magical about the Now You See Me movies, in which the tricks are the result of digital special effects rather than sleight of hand, and the characters’ live
www.inlander.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:03 PM
'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' (in theaters tonight) brings back the inexplicably popular franchise about obnoxious heisting magicians. My @inlander.com review:
#filmsky #moviesky
#filmsky #moviesky
Congratulations to my talented brother-in-law on the release of his new book!
Today's the day! My short story collection LOVE, DIRT is out NOW. Buy it from the press at uipress.uiowa.edu/books/love-dirt, from Amazon at a.co/d/ci8L6gK, or anywhere else you buy books.
#booksky
#booksky
November 12, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Congratulations to my talented brother-in-law on the release of his new book!
There's a lot of repressed British longing in this week's 1971 episode of Awesome Movie Year on Joseph Losey's 'The Go-Between.' #filmsky #moviesky
The Go-Between (1971 Cannes Award Winner) - Awesome Movie Year
The sixth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1971 features the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner, Joseph Losey’s The Go-Between. Directed by Joseph Losey from a screenplay by Haro...
awesomemovieyear.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Some brief thoughts on the entertaining 'Predator: Badlands' in this week's Highway Radio segment: highwayradio.com/josh-bell-ha...
November 9, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Some brief thoughts on the entertaining 'Predator: Badlands' in this week's Highway Radio segment: highwayradio.com/josh-bell-ha...
I really enjoyed the cheerleading sitcom 'Stumble' (premiering tonight on NBC), which is like 'Friday Night Lights' meets a Christopher Guest movie. My @tomsguide.com review:
This new cheerleading mockumentary is the funniest network sitcom I've seen in years
'Stumble' is NBC's new comedy about the cutthroat world of junior college cheerleading
www.tomsguide.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:31 PM
I really enjoyed the cheerleading sitcom 'Stumble' (premiering tonight on NBC), which is like 'Friday Night Lights' meets a Christopher Guest movie. My @tomsguide.com review:
Boxing drama 'Christy' (opening in theaters tonight) never transcends its fundamental biopic-ness. My @inlander.com review:
#filmsky #moviesky
#filmsky #moviesky
The Sydney Sweeney-led drama Christy fits a remarkable life into a basic biopic
At a meeting with boxer Christy Martin (Sydney Sweeney) around the midway point of biopic Christy, promoter Don King (Chad Coleman) tells Christy that her seemingly unstoppable career could come
www.inlander.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Boxing drama 'Christy' (opening in theaters tonight) never transcends its fundamental biopic-ness. My @inlander.com review:
#filmsky #moviesky
#filmsky #moviesky
With Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' streaming on Netflix tomorrow, I spotlighted another thoughtful, sophisticated (and underseen) 'Frankenstein' adaptation for @crooked-marquee.bsky.social: The 1973 TV movie 'Frankenstein: The True Story.' #filmsky #moviesky
The Deeper Truths of Frankenstein: The True Story
This little-seen 1973 TV movie is one of the most sophisticated adaptations of Mary Shelley’s classic novel.
crookedmarquee.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:06 PM
With Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' streaming on Netflix tomorrow, I spotlighted another thoughtful, sophisticated (and underseen) 'Frankenstein' adaptation for @crooked-marquee.bsky.social: The 1973 TV movie 'Frankenstein: The True Story.' #filmsky #moviesky
This week's 1971 episode of Awesome Movie Year looks at Dennis Hopper's ego-fueled flop 'The Last Movie': awesomemovieyear.com/captivate-po...
November 5, 2025 at 11:50 PM
This week's 1971 episode of Awesome Movie Year looks at Dennis Hopper's ego-fueled flop 'The Last Movie': awesomemovieyear.com/captivate-po...
This week's VODepths features a tender and affecting movie about mind-controlling worms, plus icebound action and domestic horror. #filmsky #moviesky
VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) on Demand This Week
Our mini-reviews of “Icefall,” “300 Letters,” “Wormtown,” and more new under-the-radar on-demand offerings.
crookedmarquee.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:35 PM
For @tomsguide.com today, I recommended the delightful Japanese time-loop comedy 'River.' #filmsky #moviesky
I remain totally charmed by this sci-fi comedy you probably missed — and it's streaming now on Prime Video
Japanese time-loop movie 'River' is another winning low-key sci-fi comedy from the director of 'Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes'
www.tomsguide.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:45 PM
For @tomsguide.com today, I recommended the delightful Japanese time-loop comedy 'River.' #filmsky #moviesky
This seems to be a recurring experience for me.
Something satisfying about sitting alone in my living room and yelling "Booooo" at a new movie's dumb twist ending.
November 2, 2025 at 6:58 AM
This seems to be a recurring experience for me.
My quick take on Nia DaCosta's stylish 'Hedda' (streaming on Amazon Prime Video) in this week's Highway Radio segment: highwayradio.com/josh-bell-ha...
November 1, 2025 at 10:52 PM
My quick take on Nia DaCosta's stylish 'Hedda' (streaming on Amazon Prime Video) in this week's Highway Radio segment: highwayradio.com/josh-bell-ha...
Dreamed I was at a cool movie screening, but all I could focus on was that my view was obstructed and some weird guy kept trying to talk to me. So realistic!
October 31, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Dreamed I was at a cool movie screening, but all I could focus on was that my view was obstructed and some weird guy kept trying to talk to me. So realistic!
In the midst of completing a task and realized I never added it to today's to-do list, so I put it on the list just to have the satisfaction of removing it right after.
October 31, 2025 at 6:42 AM
In the midst of completing a task and realized I never added it to today's to-do list, so I put it on the list just to have the satisfaction of removing it right after.
The faux-timely dystopian drama 'Anniversary' (now in theaters) mostly wastes its impressive cast. My @inlander.com review:
#filmsky #moviesky
#filmsky #moviesky
Political thriller Anniversary offers free-floating dystopian platitudes
“I am neither liberal nor conservative,” says Georgetown professor Ellen Taylor (Diane Lane) during a lecture at the beginning of political thriller Anniversary, and that equivocation encapsulates the...
www.inlander.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:37 PM
The faux-timely dystopian drama 'Anniversary' (now in theaters) mostly wastes its impressive cast. My @inlander.com review:
#filmsky #moviesky
#filmsky #moviesky
I have such fond memories of listening to KNAC in junior high when I lived in Southern California. It's awesome to see it return courtesy of my Vegas radio pal @gonzogreg.com (and on the station that currently hosts my movie reviews).
KNAC Returns To Airwaves With New Era Of 'Pure Rock'
KNAC Returns To Airwaves With New Era Of 'Pure Rock'
On a day known for the return of spirits, the most legendary demon of rock radio is returning to the FM dial. Plugging in at midnight on Halloween, Friday, October 31, 2025, the iconic KNAC call lette...
blabbermouth.net
October 29, 2025 at 11:19 PM
I have such fond memories of listening to KNAC in junior high when I lived in Southern California. It's awesome to see it return courtesy of my Vegas radio pal @gonzogreg.com (and on the station that currently hosts my movie reviews).
We've got a Halloween special for this week's 1971 episode of Awesome Movie Year, featuring Mario Bava's proto-slasher movie 'A Bay of Blood': awesomemovieyear.com/captivate-po...
October 29, 2025 at 9:18 PM
We've got a Halloween special for this week's 1971 episode of Awesome Movie Year, featuring Mario Bava's proto-slasher movie 'A Bay of Blood': awesomemovieyear.com/captivate-po...
Also while on vacation this week, I guess I finally became my dad (fell asleep in a recliner while watching a Western).
October 26, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Also while on vacation this week, I guess I finally became my dad (fell asleep in a recliner while watching a Western).
Back from my vacation and catching up on a couple things that posted while I was gone. First, this week's Awesome Movie Year 1971 episode on Steven Spielberg's debut feature 'Duel.'
Duel (1971 First Feature) - Awesome Movie Year
The third episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1971 features the second of two picks for a notable debut feature, Steven Spielberg’s Duel. Directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay ...
awesomemovieyear.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Back from my vacation and catching up on a couple things that posted while I was gone. First, this week's Awesome Movie Year 1971 episode on Steven Spielberg's debut feature 'Duel.'
Apparently I was already in vacation mode here, making typos. I'll be mostly offline this week, but follow me on Letterboxd for thoughts on all my vacation movie-watching (different from work movie-watching, of course).
October 20, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Apparently I was already in vacation mode here, making typos. I'll be mostly offline this week, but follow me on Letterboxd for thoughts on all my vacation movie-watching (different from work movie-watching, of course).
I'm happy to headed off on vacation tomorrow, so I am engaging in my regular pre-vacation practice: Writing my work to-do list for the day I return.
October 20, 2025 at 3:36 AM
I'm happy to headed off on vacation tomorrow, so I am engaging in my regular pre-vacation practice: Writing my work to-do list for the day I return.